Jay Taft: Against the Bears, QB Aaron Rodgers makes all the difference

Thursday

Dec 26, 2013 at 3:36 PM

While the return of Aaron Rodgers as the Packers starting quarterback means a lot against any team in the league, it has enormous impact when it comes to the Chicago Bears.

How many people, so-called experts and fans alike, reversed their picks for the NFC North champion right around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, when Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said these five words: "He is ready to play."

I did. It doesn't take an expert to see that replacing Aaron Rodgers for anybody else on the planet, and especially against the Bears, has an enormous effect on the outcome. Rodgers will play in his first game since he fractured his collarbone when sacked by Chicago's Shea McClellin in Week 9, and he'll revive a team that went 2-4-1 without him.

While he's good against every opponent, he's been great versus the Bears. He's 9-3 as a starter against Chicago, and that's counting the Nov. 4 game when he was knocked out early. In 2011 and 2012, he had 12 touchdown passes and two interceptions in four games against the Bears, all wins.

The Bears biggest chance at limiting Rodgers' impact on the outcome of the game is to get pressure on him, even though he's one of the best at beating it. Rodgers had a league-best 131.4 passer rating against the blitz last season, and the Bears have the fewest sacks in the league at 28 this year.

However, Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs should be back to full strength this week, and by game day Rodgers won't have taken a hit in nearly two months, and he will be weary of getting popped, and could be rattled if hit early and often.

One thing the Bears have going for them: Green Bay has allowed 42 sacks, tied for the eighth most in the NFL.